Beau and I saw the film. I pretty much agree with ita's take including the love for JGL. He really was excellent in all the ways. I thought Hardy was pretty good. A reviewer complained about his mask covering his face and
that he should have been allowed to take off the mask (!), but
Hardy's physical acting was just superb throughout. One of the rare few who acts well with/without his face covered. Seriously.
Overall, I thought this was a great film. On par with TDK. I did not think this film was going to be that good. I think TDK is a better film, mostly because of Heath, but TDKR is a really good film nevertheless. The film is emotionally satisfying. This is kind of how the trilogy needed to end - and I very much liked how the script (several times over and over) linked themes, events, scenes, from both of the previous two movies to this one. The artful way in which these themes were weaved together is pretty amazing to me.
Casting spoilers did ruin one "surprise" for me, but setting that aside, apparently I have forgotten what was in the trailers for the film because I literally had forgotten the
football stadium scene
from the January-released trailer until I fucking saw the
football stadium!
Good grief.
Anne Hathaway was really wonderful. She did a great job and was very natural in the role.
As far as political messages: I find overall that the messages were not consistent:
do you trust institutions, or not? Do we have hope as citizenry, or not? The police sacrificed themselves to confront Bane's army, and yet individual police would not let kids and other civilians be saved by crossing the bridge. It's almost like there is an embedded critique of Authority but perhaps not institutions. How can that be?
One purely superficial note:
I want that fucking batcycle badly. I gasped every fucking time it was on screen. When it turned, I was like "oh my God!" out loud in the theater.
Both the batcycle (does it have an official name?) and the Bat I really wanted to get my hands on I know they 100% work like they do in the movie, but are we talking 10%? How much? They were both massively cool.
At the theater. 30 MINUTES. There's a dude here in full Batman costume, but carrying his cowl, since masks aren't allowed but costumes are. It's way, WAY less crowded here than I expected for opening night.
I'M READY.
I'm so excited for Steph. I hope she's....well, she's probably watching previews.
I can't believe how many I got, at 3 fucking 30 in the morning. Could you not give a nod to the hour? Also, it was way stressy getting in, because the trilogy people were leaving, and they were jamming up the carpark with some strange decision-making. Oy.
Anyway, I did make it in enough time to buy a frozen berry lemonade and reach my seat (there was an argument in the C row about who sat where. Again, why, people? Your ticket, has information,, so look at it and behave. Do not make them have to call staff over and move a whole row (who didn't know each other, making it look like they'd been compounding an error) move over one seat. Just read. And behave.
They showed seven million trailers. Why does watch have Hill and Annoying Stiller and Annoying Vaughn? I suppose my question is when doe Ayoade make my movie, and he seems taller than I'd thought.
All the trailers were a basic waste of time until they rolled up on The Hobbit and it was gleebly flaily time on a Batman scale for me--that's the other thing that gets me to the theatre in the dark of night. Gollum. Looks great. Can't wait to fork over $75, insert catheter, and put on my 3D glasses. Then there was a Superman teaser, which I suppose was great if you have any faith in the movie, which I don't but I appreciate it belongs right before Batman starts. It's fair. Then...there was Rising.
But all the other crap? Was crap. Lots of it. Too early/late to be neutral or pleasantly surprised by stuff.
Sonofoabitch. Hobbit was the only one I actively wanted.
check this:
we got no previews at my movie.
The guys next to me complained that our audience was lame because no one cheered for Superman.
It was a sweet teaser, and seeing him in flight was...it looked impressive. But they've fucked him up so much recently. I needed to see dialogue.
I got The Hobbit at The Avengers!
